In responding to remarks made by Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, Louisville coach Rick Pitino gave his thoughts on the Connecticut shootings, gun control and the NRA. / Mic Smith, AP

by Scott M Gleeson, USA TODAY Sports

by Scott M Gleeson, USA TODAY Sports

Louisville coach Rick Pitino vehemently supported gun control on Friday, calling out politicians for their stances and criticizing the National Rifle Association on the same day NRA Chief Executive Wayne LaPierre rejected gun control in the wake of the Newtown, Conn., massacre.

"The fact that every single person does not want (gun control) would be a mystery," said Pitino, who was responding to remarks made by Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim earlier in the week. "This is not the beginning of American civilization where we need guns because it's the Wild Wild West. ... There should not be guns in our society and we all know that, politicians know that."

When asked if he had heard of the NRA's speech Friday, Pitino said he hadn't.

"I don't care about those people," Pitino said of the NRA. "They have their own agenda. They'll give you this excuse of an insane person. That's not the way it is. We don't need guns in our society. Bob Costas took a lot of heat for what he said. What was he caring about? People not getting killed. They (the NRA) don't care. No one's going to take away your hunting license. This is not Wyatt Earp walking down the street where you have to have a challenge. I don't have any respect for people with their own agenda and not our country's agenda."

Pitino said he studies politics and felt "every person who does not want to do good for America should be voted out."

"I can tell you one thing about politicians: This is not era of Tip O'Neill and Ronald Reagan. Or Newt Gingrich and Bill Clinton. ... What goes on between Congress and Senate, ultra left and ultra right, it's so absurd it's ridiculous. They all should be voted out. Nothing will be changed my estimation until you have term limits. We won't get rid of these people. They don't do what's right for America. If they were doing that, then the next day the country would demand gun control."

Pitino, who has five kids of his own, spoke about the victims of Sandy Hook Elementary School. Pitino could relate. His son, Daniel, died in 1987 from congenital heart failure at the age of six months. Pitino and his wife, Joanne, established the Daniel Pitino Foundation, which has raised millions of dollars for children in need.

"I can't fathom and imagine losing an elementary school child," Pitino said. "I'm not sure I could ever coach again. It took me a long time to get back after 9/11."

Pitino was initially taken off guard when asked by a reporter about Boeheim's comments earlier in the week on gun control. He responded, "What'd he say?" Pitino and Boeheim have disagreed in a few areas over the years as Big East rivals. This wasn't one of them.